


Homecoming

by Lauchme



Category: Voltron Force
Genre: Emotional Constipation, Late night talks, M/M, Miscommunication, Sharing a Bed, VF isn't dead y'all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-20
Updated: 2018-10-20
Packaged: 2019-08-04 17:36:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16351124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lauchme/pseuds/Lauchme
Summary: It's late at night, the first one since Keith came back from the underground. Returning to the way things were is at once far too easy, and a near-insurmountable challenge.





	Homecoming

His shoulders were always hunched and tense; it didn’t matter where he was, in the midst of battle or on the edge of his bed in the silence of four in the morning. He seemed to Keith like a bird of prey, always poised to unfurl its great dark wings and fight for its territory. His coat hung on his shoulders like a drape- had he always been that thin?- and as he spoke, he seemed a frozen statue. Not even the suggestion of a breath. No shake of the head of glimpse of his emotions. Lance wouldn’t give him even that much.

 

Keith grunted and rolled over, attempting to force eye contact onto his opponent. He knew, rationally- how _couldn’t_ he know after all those years they’d shared- that if Lance didn’t want to open up, he simply wouldn’t. He’d bite his damn tongue off before telling you what he felt straight away. Magma boils beneath an impermeable crust. But there are faults.

 

He extends his fingertips, swallowing his own anger and frustration, his petulant, unsoldierly desire to tirade at the back of Lance’s head with how _damn frustrating_ he was. But he wouldn’t give him exactly what he wanted. Maybe these ‘adult’ fights, in the dark and half-clothed, were just the same childishness under a pretence of calm, rational silence. Eventually, the loser of the fight would have to speak. Keith bit his lip, thought it through. He could stand to lose tonight.

 

“I meant what I said, Lance.” 

 

The silhouette across from him bristled just-visibly, enough to be a trick of the darkness, if he hadn’t known him better. Lance had a hard time processing- _accepting_ that people might mean the promises they make to him. But that had always been with _other_ people. A dull ache rolled into Keith’s chest when it hit him that perhaps the time spent apart had changed things, had taken back custody of the rare trust that Lance had given him.

 

Finally, a reply. “And I believe you _think_ you mean it.” He really was goading for a confrontation. Another time Keith might’ve smiled. He’d have to keep losing, standing down, if he wanted to get anything out of Lance tonight.

 

“What do you mean, I _think_ I meant it?” Keith shifted towards him, just a bit, a gesture of armistice. “I think I know for myself whether or not I missed you. I had plenty of time to think about it.”

 

Lance sighed frustratedly, but some of the tension released from his shoulders- progress. “I can tell what you’re doing when you talk like that. You’re battle-planning our conversation out.”

 

“You still know me too well.”

 

Finally he turned towards him, brushed his fingers across his hand. “I hope I do.”

 

Seven years was a long time to be apart from his team. Keith had almost not expected things to return to the comfortable routines of friendship and intimacy so soon, as if he’d never been gone. And from the moment he touched down, Lance had been waiting to hand him back the reins, with no hesitation. No, that wasn’t the thing casting a shadow between them now. The problem with Lance was that he had a hard time getting it into his head that Keith cared about _him_ as much as he cared about Keith. He’d never been sure where that sentiment came from, or maybe if it was his fault- Keith _knew_ he wasn’t the best at human interactions, relationships, whatever. That much he knew of himself.

 

But he’d keep reiterating what he’d told the GA Discipline Officer that day long ago.

 

_With all due respect, Sir- Lance is irreplaceable. If he goes, I go._

 

“Listen-“ Keith surprised himself a little, that he wasn’t going to let this go this time. He was normally the stoic, maybe a little too cold, even for a soldier. But something about the comfortable hole of darkness they were in let him open up a crack. “I missed all of you, you know. I don’t talk about it, but I did.” His voice wasn’t as level or controlled as he liked to keep it, but Keith didn’t care- kept going. 

 

“And you- there were so many days I wanted to turn to you and make a wisecrack, or ask for a second opinion on what I was doing. But I _had_ to go alone, and I _needed_ you to stay here. There’s nobody else I’d give the job I gave you. But I’m selfish too, Lance. I still wished you were there even though I knew all that. I missed being with you.”

 

Dim moonlight from the window gave form to the slight change in Lance’s posture. He didn’t reply or give so much as a nod of understanding but, from the way he moved- Keith could tell he’d gotten through to him.

 

“I still can’t believe you,” he murmured, tracing his hand over Keith’s head. “I compliment your haircut and you go right ahead and cut it- I take insult to that.”

 

“Well, it didn’t _sound_ like a compliment,” Keith huffed. “It was time for a change, anyways.”

 

“Change is overrated.”

 

Without further words, they understood each other, what they wanted. Lying side-by-side and half-entangled, in sync once again. Keith wanted to say more, but now he didn’t want to ruin this moment. And he knew that if he started that conversation now, the volcano would erupt.

 

_The time might come when the team will change- when you need to take on my role full-time. And it has to be you, Lance. Only you._

 

They couldn’t talk about that tonight. Maybe, Keith hoped, he’d never have to bring it up- Things would stay set in stone and comfortably familiar for another decade. But somehow, he suspected they wouldn’t.


End file.
